Collapsible tube closure



Sept. 5, 1944. J. Ix MURRAY COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE Filed Nov: 4. 1941.

INVENTOR Patented Sept. 5, 1944 ooLLAPsrBLE: TUBE CLOSURE John AngusMurray, Barkerville, British Columbia, Canada Application November 4,1941, Serial No. 417,840

'1 Claim.

This invention relates to closure members for containers and moreparticularly to a valve 010-- sure member for tube containers of thetype which contain tooth paste, cream and similar paste like materials.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of an automaticclosure which functions immediately when the desired amount of paste hasbeen ejected from the tube; other objects complementary to the primaryobject are, to prevent waste and the accumulation of hardened pasteabout the mouth of the tube, to increase the efficiency of tubes in thatthe cap is not removable and therefore cannot become lost or separatedfrom the tube, to provide ribbons of paste of different sizes dependingentirely on the desires of the user and his consequent manipulation ofthe valve lever and to generally improve the art of closure members.

Other more specific objects are to provide a valve actuating mechanismwhich is not unwieldy or bulky, that is to say that does not protrudebeyond the walls of the tube whichis of primary consideration forpacking and shipping and also to provide a durable and efiicient devicewhich will instantly cut off the flow of paste when suflicient paste hasbeen ejected from the tube.

With these and other objects in view which may appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of cooperating parts as hereinafter more specificallyset forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing forming part ofthis application and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of paste tube illustrating my improved closuremember.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a composite view of the principal valve members.

Referring more in detail to the drawing in which ,similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views itwill be seen the invention consists of a neck portion Ill, which issecured to or formed integral with the paste tube I I, according to thedictates of manufacturing methods. The neck portion I0, is larger thanthe usual type of threaded nipple for paste tubes but nevertheless isconsiderably smaller than the area covered by the top I2, of the pastetube. The neck portion I6, is provided with the usual discharge openingI3, through which the contents of the tube are nel I5, is formed throughthe upper end of the body portion in which the valve slides for thepurpose of opening or closing the opening I3.

The valve mechanism consists of an actuating lever I6, which is bent atIT, around a pintle I8, disposed between the aforementioned flanges I4.As clearly shownin Fig. 3, the lever I6, has loose bearing engagementwith the base of the neck to permit the lever to freely pivot about thepintle pin. The upper part of the lever I6, extends above the pintle I8,and is terminally provided with two spaced apart eyes I9.

The valve proper designated at 20, is slidably located in the channelI5, and extends outward so that the depending eyes 2|, lie beside andoutwardly of the eyes I9, of the actuating lever I6.

A coil spring 22, is disposed between the eyes I9, and a pin 23, locatedthrough the assembly so that the coil spring actuating lever and valveare operatively secured together. One end of the coil spring engages thevalve and the opposite end engages the actuating lever and operates tonormally urge the valve closed.

To operate the device requires the usual pressure against the side wallsof the tube at the same time the user presses downward with the thumb onthe actuating lever I6, which is caused to revolve around the pintle I8,thereby drawing the valve 20, through the channel I5, and permitting thecontents of the tube to flow outward onto a tooth brush or othersuitable article. When the required amount of paste has been ejected thethumb is removed from the lever I6, and the valve is automaticallyreturned to its original position thus cutting off the ejected pastefrom its source.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of the structureshown may be apparent from the foregoing paragraphs taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing without further detailed description.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed itis. understood that ing lever pivotally connected at one end to theouter end of said slide valve and extending downwardly along the side ofthe neck and beneath said pintle pin with its free end bent upwardly andoutwardly to form a finger piece adjacent the base of the neck, the bendof said lever having loose bearing engagement with the base of the neckto cause said lever to pivot about said pintle pin when the finger pieceis depressed to move said slide in a horizontal plane, and a coil springmounted on the pivot connection between said lever and said slide valveadapted to normally urge said valve to a closed position.

JOHN ANGUS MURRAY.

